


Wrath

by chartreuseblueandyellow



Category: The Blacklist (US TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24282142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chartreuseblueandyellow/pseuds/chartreuseblueandyellow
Summary: “Don’t you DARE hurt Agnes!”Katarina chuckled over the speaker. “I don’t have your daughter. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d never hurt her.”Everyone let out a breath at that but she continued.“Your partner on the other hand…”
Relationships: Elizabeth Keen & Donald Ressler, Elizabeth Keen/Donald Ressler
Comments: 16
Kudos: 112





	1. Park

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is set after the finale ep. I know I’ve written a Keenler fic from Park’s POV before but this one has no correlation to that one. I started this out by writing it normally (like from Liz’s perspective) but it seemed more interesting and impactful from an outside perspective and so this fic was formed. Also, this is my first time writing an angsty fic so I’m curious about what you guys think, let me know. Enjoy :)

The day after they had lost the Kazanjian Brothers to Reddington, Park was in the office discussing the previous day's happenings with Ressler when Keen walked in for the day. Park did a double take as she saw how wary and worried she looked. It seemed that the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Ressler realised too and as Keen walked past he raised his eyebrow in an unspoken question and she had only nodded in the direction of their office in reply.  
Ressler had excused himself from their conversation and followed Keen.  
Park watched through the window as Keen heavily sat down in her chair and, clearly worried about what was troubling his partner, Ressler sat on Keen's desk, closely facing her. They sat like that for almost two hours, clearly in a deep and important conversation.

It was a few days later and she and Keen were in the office. Aram was with Cooper and Ressler was out following a lead on the Kazanjian Brothers. Keen had told them that her mother and Reddington were at odds with each other with her caught in the middle and, judging by Ressler’s expression, there was a lot more to that story, though Keen didn’t elaborate.  
Park had noticed that since then, Keen had seemed on edge and she had noticed Ressler giving his partner worried glances when she wasn’t looking. 

“Keen, Park, my office now!”  
They both ran up the stairs, propelled by the urgency in Cooper’s voice.  
Her worry deepend as they entered and saw the wary expression on Aram’s face as he typed away on his laptop. Before she or Keen could ask what was wrong, Cooper told whoever was on speakerphone to continue.  
Park saw Keen’s face fill with dread as her mother’s voice filled the room.  
“Well well well, I hear that you’ve changed from your dear old mother's side to Reddington’s.”  
Keen froze and after a pause she slowly asked, “what makes you say that?”  
Katarina tutted over the phone. “I held out hope that I was wrong but, clearly, I’m not.”  
Apprehension showed on Keen’s face and Katarina’s voice rising in anger, she continued.  
“I trusted you Elizabeth. I told you the truth when he hadn’t, I cared for you, and still you chose him over me.”  
Park couldn’t help but shudder at the threat of danger in her voice and she joined Cooper and Aram who were wearily watching for Keen’s reaction who looked intensely at the speaker as her mother continued talking.  
“My love for you has been misplaced, I shouldn’t have trusted you, so there will be a change of plans. Until you deliver Reddington to me, without him knowing where you’re leading him, I’ll be holding onto someone you love.”

They were all shocked and worried, concerned about who Katarina might have. Keen’s fists tightened and Park saw that while she was worried too, she was furious.  
“Don’t you DARE hurt Agnes!”  
Katarina chuckled over the speaker.  
“I don’t have your daughter. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d never hurt her.”  
Everyone let out a breath at that but she continued.  
“Your partner on the other hand…”  
Park saw as Keen’s face went from relieved to furious in a split second and she marched up close to the speaker.  
“Don’t you dare hurt Ressler!”  
Katarina chuckled at her reaction and instead of answering asked, “I assume you want proof that I do actually have him?”  
And before waiting for an answer they heard her call out.  
“Agent Ressler, your partner is on the phone.”  
Everyone anxiously waited to hear his voice and Keen tightly clutched the edge of the desk.  
“Liz?”  
Park saw Keen’s grip slightly relax.  
“Ress! Thank god you’re okay.”  
“Liz don’t give Reddington over. You know she’ll kill him and his life is more valuable than mine.”  
In that moment, reading Keen’s expressions, Park saw that Keen was more than willing to give Reddington up to save Ressler. Before she could argue back however, the sound of a solid punch tipping over someone in a chair came clearly through the speaker and they all winced as Ressler gave a grunt of pain.  
Keen looked murderous.  
Katarina’s laugh came over the phone as she walked out of whatever room they were holding Ressler in.  
“I told you, him, I don’t mind hurting.”  
Keen's face radiated fury.  
“If you think this is the way to get me on your side, you are very very wrong.”  
“I don’t want that anymore Elizabeth. I’ve seen where your loyalties truly lie. Oh no, now I want you to feel pain just like I did at your betrayal.”  
Park saw as Cooper realised Keen couldn’t speak, her body vibrating with anger, so he spoke up.  
“Katarina Rostova. You may be Elizabeth’s mother but you’ve taken one of our own. We’ll be after you with the full force of the FBI.”  
She only laughed in response. “I’ve had the Cabal and the Russian and American governments after me before. How well do you think they did?”  
Everyone in the room stayed silent and she continued.  
“Elizabeth. Before you had to choose between Red and I. Now that you’ve made your choice about that, I ask you, who do you choose? Reddington or your partner Donald Ressler? I’ll let you mull over that and call back in an hour,” and with that statement, she hung up.

Park, Cooper and Aram were worried and angry but Park had never seen Keen so angry before. It wasn’t an explosive angry. It was a quiet, seething anger which was even more scary. It meant that she was in control of herself as she went over what she would do to her mother when she got to her.  
The three of them quietly gave Keen a moment to process it all, after all, the threats were aimed at her. Cooper gently spoke up, “Elizabeth?”  
Snapping out of her thoughts she turned him.  
“I know she said she wouldn’t hurt Agnes but I want her taken out of school right now. I have to sort this out but someone needs to bring her here”  
Park, happy to get out of the way of whatever hell Keen was about to rain down, immediately offered but Keen shook her head, her voice still hard from the call.  
“She doesn’t know you. Aram should go, she’s known him for years. If I’m not the one getting her, Agnes will feel safer with him than with you.”  
Park saw her point and Aram immediately spoke up.  
“Yup I’m going. I started a trace on her phone but I’ll get one of the other techs to take over,” and saying that, Aram ran out of the room. 

Cooper asked, “what’s the plan to get Ressler back?”  
Keen stared at him, as if the answer was obvious.  
“We’re going to give her Reddington.”  
Park hesitated, sure that there was a better plan but not wanting to contradict the pissed off Keen, she didn’t say anything. She saw Cooper hesitate as well but, not sharing her worries, he slowly spoke up.  
“Are you sure that that’s the best way to do this?”  
Steel in her voice, Keen replied, “I’m not risking Ressler’s life.”

Park glanced up again and saw the same sight she had seen for the past few minutes. Keen was pacing her office and angrily talking on the phone, presumably still with Reddington. It was only almost half an hour later that Keen emerged from her office and, gesturing for Park to follow her, she ran up to Cooper’s office. Following her as she walked in, Park listened as she explained to her and Cooper.  
“I talked to Reddington. We have a plan.”  
Cooper nodded at her to continue.  
“My mother might have snipers on the nearby roofs and will be making sure that we won’t be followed. Dembe always drives Red around so he’ll be driving my FBI issued vehicle, I'll be sitting in the passenger seat and Reddington will be, as he normally would, in the middle seat. Using the tinted windows of the back to our advantage, we’ll have four people armed hidden there. Another can be laying on the floor of the middle section.”  
Cooper nodded, agreeing with the plan so far.  
“We have to get out of the car before they come to us so they don’t see inside. When Red, Dembe and I get inside and have all the attention on us, the rest of the team will have a coordinated attack to get Ressler to safety and stop my mother.”  
Keen stopped, indicating that was the plan.  
Park and Cooper looked at each other unsure and the latter spoke up,  
“It’s a thin plan.”  
“Yeah, well it’s the best we can do in the short time we have.”  
Cooper nodded, knowing that was true.  
“We can’t just have Reddington’s men, we need some of ours too.”  
Keen agreed. “I told Reddington that. There are five people overall, he’s got three men, we’ve got two.”  
Park was surprised, “and Reddington agreed to this plan that could very easily put him in danger?”  
She gave a grim smile.  
“Reddington knows that I won’t let anything happen to Ressler and that I’m not really going to budge on a plan that could work.”  
Cooper nodded. “Fine. Park, get the SWAT commander and the two of you will join Reddington’s men in the car.” 

They waited only a few minutes before Katarina called back and Cooper spoke.  
“You’re on speaker.”  
“Good. Everyone can hear what Elizabeth chooses.”  
“I’ll give you Reddington.”  
Katarina laughed over the speaker.  
“Excellent. I’ll text an address to this number. Remember, just you and Reddington, and Dembe I suppose. I’m going to be watching, making sure there’s no one following you. One wrong move and a bullet goes straight through your partner.”  
Park saw Keen shudder involuntarily and after a pause Katarina spoke up again.  
“You know Elizabeth, I didn’t want it to have come to this but you left me no choice. I’ve been watching you for a while now and I knew taking your partner would get me the results I wanted.”  
Letting that statement sink in she added, “you brought this on yourself Elizabeth,” and hung up.  
Park looked over at Keen. She looked furious. 

They walked out of the office but as they climbed down the stairs, Aram stepped out of the elevator with Agnes in tow. Park saw Keen make an effort to mask the anger she was feeling and knelt down to hug her daughter.  
Agnes looked at her mother.  
“Why did uncew Awam pick me fwom school early?”  
“Well honey, I have something important to do so uncle Aram is going to look after you for a bit and he thought it’d be fun to get you out of school early.”  
Agnes smiled, happy to get out class early, like any child would.  
Keen gave Aram a grateful smile and added, “it’ll make me feel so much better if you stay with her,” and Aram, understanding just how much stress she was under, gave Liz a gentle smile.  
“Of course,” and grinning at Agnes he added, “we’ll grab some pizza and we’ll work on the art project you were telling me about, what do you say?”  
Agnes happily agreed and Keen gave him a grateful smile.  
Hesitant to break up the moment but knowing they were on a time crunch, Park gently nudged Keen who nodded at her.  
She knelt down and pulled her daughter into a tight hug and Park could tell she was getting comfort from knowing that Agnes would be safe.  
Letting her daughter go, she pulled a surprised Aram into a quick but tight hug and whispered something to him. He gave her a squeeze back and letting go, added, “I know you’ll bring Ressler back safely.”  
Keen gave him a thankful grin and the two of them left. 

Dembe, Reddington and his men pulled up into the Post Office car park and they got out and walked towards the SUV she, Keen and the SWAT commander, Mark, were standing by.  
Brief introductions were made and they discussed possible plans and that, because she was the smallest, Park would be the one lying on the floor in the middle. The back windows were tinted but just to be safe the guys in the back would be crouching or lying down.  
Park asked, “do we get into the positions right now?”  
Keen nodded. “We don’t know from when she’ll start keeping an eye on us so yeah it’s probably safest to be in position before we leave.”  
Park huffed. “Well I guess I’ll make myself comfortable on the floor, I hope you don’t have crumbs all over,” and recognising the moment of levity she was trying to provide, Keen gave her a small smile.  
Before they all piled in, Mark attached a small button camera discreetly onto her jacket. He had the tablet which would show the feed and he would use it to get the lay of the land before the five of them breached.  
Mark and Reddington’s men had come fully suited up so after donning her vest, they all climbed into the van.  
If the situation hadn’t been so serious Park would’ve laughed at the awkwardness of lying on the floor of a car and four grown men squeezing into the back of the vehicle. Reddington made a visible effort not to put his feet on her.  
The movement of the car gently swayed Park and she, like everyone else in the car, stayed silent, thinking only of the upcoming mission.  
The address was a warehouse in an area with no street or interior security cameras so there was no opportunity for Aram to hack anything to give them an advantage.  
After 20 minutes of driving the silence was broken by Dembe saying, “we’re close to the address,” for everyone’s benefit.  
Liz gave a quiet acknowledgement and hearing the tightness of her voice, Reddington in a quiet but sure voice said, “we will get him out okay.”

Reddington wasn’t supposed to know he was being hand delivered to Katarina so as the three of them got out Park could hear Keen talking.  
“This is the warehouse where we found the hidden shipments. The guy guarding them said they were stolen from your order.”  
Park couldn’t hear the rest of the excuse Keen was making up for bringing them there but she was impressed. For someone who was so stressed and worried and angry, Keen could play calm pretty convincingly.  
Park counted one minute in her head and, as per the plan, Mark slowly looked out the window. Park and the others were keeping their heads down so he narrated to them how two of Katarina’s guards who were hiding outside followed the three in at a distance, presumably to box them in.  
He turned his attention from outside to the screen and after analysing what he could see, told them the plan.  
“We have the element of surprise on our hand so Baz, you take out the two guards who followed them in, Agent Park and I will get the guards either side of Agent Ressler, and Sharif and George can get the guards either side of Katarina. Dembe will have Reddington.”  
Everyone nodded, going over their roles and Park had to admit she was pretty impressed with the plan Mark had come up with on the spot. 

They piled out of the car, on the side not facing the warehouse entrance, and using it as cover for a moment, ran up to either side of the warehouse door.  
Mark gave a nod and they all burst in.  
Baz expertly took out the two guards but after that their advantage had gone. The instant Baz took the shot, she and Mark successfully took out the guards by Ressler then took cover behind some shelving as Katarina’s remaining guards started firing at them then took cover themselves.  
It was only then that Park stopped to actually look at Agent Ressler. He did not look good. Taped to the chair, he had cuts and bruises over his face, a swollen eye, and judging by the way he was hunched over with laboured breathing, had taken a pretty bad beating. She spared a quick glance over to Keen to see her reaction and was overwhelmed by the wrath she was exuding.  
Over the chaos she heard Katarina yell out, enraged.  
“How dare you cross me!”  
And as Katarina held up her gun, ready to kill Ressler as she had promised to do if things didn’t go her way, Park hoped that Keen would forgive her for planning to do the same to her mother.  
Before Park could fire her gun however, a shot went off next to her and she watched as Keen’s bullet went straight through her mother’s wrist which was holding the gun. Katarina immediately dropped it and cried out in pain. 

Keen ran over, kicking the gun away from her crouching mother who was withering in pain and, catching up to them, Park watched in amazement as Keen knelt down, looked her mother in the eye, and with a steely calm anger said, “if you ever hurt the ones I love again, the next bullet won’t be hitting your wrist.”  
Park saw the moment that Katarina truly understood her daughter meant the threat and after a stare which lasted a few more seconds Keen stood up, and demeanor completely changing, she ran over to the battered and bruised Ressler.  
SWAT had just cut off the tape holding him to the chair and Park watched as Keen knelt in front of him and gently cupped his cut and bruised face and drew her own close to his.  
She couldn’t hear what was being said but it didn’t matter. 

Keen was whispering quiet reassurances to her partner who slowly rested his forehead against hers and held the hands which were cupping his face.  
Mark was handcuffing Katarina and taking her away but Park wasn’t paying attention to that. She watched in fascination as the partners held their pose, ignoring everyone around them. Keen seemed to be almost on the verge of tears in her whispered conversation with Ressler and Park was sure it was because she blamed herself for the condition he was currently in.  
Park had quickly messaged Cooper after they had gained the upper hand and the medical team arrived to treat Ressler. She watched as their steps faltered seeing the intimate pose the partners were in, clearly not wanting to interrupt. She watched as they gave him a glance over to check there was nothing life threatening and, satisfied that there wasn’t, moved away to give them a bit more time. 

Park saw as both Reddington and Dembe gave a hint of a smile at seeing the partners and putting his fedora on, he and Dembe walked out of the warehouse.  
Keen finally pulled away from Ressler, though not by much, and seeing that, the medics came over with a stretcher. Keen helped them get Ressler onto it and as agents were milling around processing the scene, Park watched as she went with him into the ambulance which drove away only moments later.


	2. Liz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t have your daughter. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d never hurt her.”  
> Everyone let out a breath at that but she continued.  
> “Your partner on the other hand…”  
> In a split second, the relief she had felt was instantly taken over by anger and, knowing in her gut that her mother had Ressler, she marched right up to the speaker.   
> “Don’t you dare hurt Ressler!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the exact same story as chapter 1 but it’s from Liz’s perspective. I admit I really enjoyed writing this one. As always, I really look forward to what you guys think so please let me know! Enjoy :)

It had been a hell of a day, and that was putting it nicely. From the ongoing war between her mother and Red, to his clearly very serious illness, to the momentous decision to choose her mother’s side, she felt absolutely drained, both physically and emotionally.   
Liz walked into the Post Office the next day tired. She had barely slept at night going over the choice she had made and it had felt like she had been on autopilot all morning. She felt like she really just needed to talk it all out with someone who would listen to her rambling thoughts, wouldn’t judge and would give their honest opinion.   
That’s why, when she walked into the office and saw Ressler raising an eyebrow at her, she simply nodded towards their office, wanting to have this conversation only with him.  
He excused himself from the conversation he was having with Park and she sat heavily into her chair. He came and sat on her desk, leaned forward and gently said, “what’s wrong Liz?”

She had never been more grateful for her tiny island of calm as she told him about choosing her mother’s side, the doubts she was starting to have about it, and what was stopping her from choosing Red.   
He listened patiently, knowing that she needed to let it all out before he said anything.   
When she finished there was a pause and Ressler said, “so you’d say your life is a little stressful right now huh?”  
She huffed out a laugh and he gently smiled at her before going back to the matter at hand.  
He told her, straight up, that he thought she should side with Red. He gave his reasons and and after talking it out for a while ended with,  
“just because she’s your mother, doesn’t mean that you have to side with her. We still don’t know who Reddington is to you but I think this task force is proof that you don’t need to be related by blood to be family.”  
She gave him a warm smile and was reminded, despite her current circumstances, just how lucky she was. Over the years she had been reminded many times by all the members of the task force that they were her family and she loved them all for it.   
After discussing it more with Ressler, she decided that it was best to side with Reddington. They had agreed that she would tell him, but not her mother, about the change. They both knew that she wouldn’t take it well and so soon, it being too much for now, they planned to figure out a defense against Katarina, together. 

It was a few days later and she and Park were looking through some files while Ressler was out following a lead on the Kazanjian Brothers.  
Both her and Ressler agreed that, considering the brothers were last in Reddington’s custody, they were probably dead. Reddington didn’t admit to anything when they asked however and so, because they were the FBI, they had to investigate it.   
Cooper’s voice broke the silence of reading the files.  
“Keen, Park, my office now!”

They both ran up the stairs, propelled by the urgency in Cooper’s voice.   
She worried even more when she saw a clearly troubled Aram and Cooper. Before she could ask what was happening the latter told whoever was on speaker to continue.   
Dread engulfed her as the voice of her mother filled the office.   
“Well well well, I hear that you’ve changed from your dear old mother's side to Reddington’s.”  
Liz had absolutely no idea how her mother had already found out. She had no doubts that she eventually would but not this soon. She had no defense lined up.   
Trying to play dumb, she slowly asked, “what makes you say that?”  
Her mother tutted over the phone, clearly not fooled.   
“I held out hope that I was wrong but, clearly, I’m not.”  
Apprehension filled her, knowing that this wasn’t going to end well for her and her mother continued, voice rising in anger.   
“I trusted you Elizabeth. I told you the truth when he hadn’t, I cared for you, and still you chose him over me.”  
Liz felt panic start to rise within her, her gut telling her things were going to get bad. Trying to ignore that to stay calm, she stared at the source of her mother’s voice.   
“My love for you has been misplaced, I shouldn’t have trusted you, so there will be a change of plans. Until you deliver Reddington to me, without him knowing where you’re leading him, I’ll be holding onto someone you love.”

Liz was instantly worried but, realising who she had most likely taken, her fists tightened and anger washed over her.  
“Don’t you DARE hurt Agnes!”  
Her mother chuckled over the speaker.  
“I don’t have your daughter. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d never hurt her.”  
Everyone let out a breath at that but she continued.  
“Your partner on the other hand…”  
In a split second, the relief she had felt was instantly taken over by anger and, knowing in her gut that her mother had Ressler, she marched right up to the speaker.   
“Don’t you dare hurt Ressler!”  
Her mother chuckled at her reaction which only angered Liz further but held it in as she said, “I assume you want proof that I do actually have him?”  
Over the speaker they heard her call out, “Agent Ressler, your partner is on the phone.”  
Liz hadn’t realised just how tense she had been until Ressler's voice, slightly shaky, came over the phone.  
“Liz?”  
She relaxed her grip on the edge of the table.  
“Ress! Thank god you’re ok.”  
“Liz don’t give Reddington over. You know she’ll kill him and his life is more valuable than mine.”  
Liz was incredulous. How dare Ressler think that his life meant less than Reddington’s? Especially after she had told him just how much he meant to her, she would definitely give Reddington away to save Ressler. Reddington deserved what would happen to him, Ressler didn’t. 

Before she could argue back, the sound of a solid punch tipping over someone in a chair came clearly through the speaker and it took everything not to yell out in anger.   
Her mother laughed.  
“I told you, him, I don’t mind hurting.”  
Fury consumed her.  
“If you think this is the way to get me on your side, you are very very wrong.”  
“I don’t want that anymore Elizabeth. I’ve seen where your loyalties truly lie. Oh no, now I want you to feel pain just like I did at your betrayal.”  
Liz felt her body almost vibrate with anger and Cooper spoke up.   
“Katarina Rostova. You may be Elizabeth’s mother but you’ve taken one of our own. We’ll be after you with the full force of the FBI.”  
She only laughed in response. “I’ve had the Cabal and the Russian and American governments after me before. How well do you think they did?”  
They all stayed silent at the rhetorical question.  
“Elizabeth. Before you had to choose between Red and I. Now that you’ve made your choice about that, I ask you, who do you choose? Reddington or your partner Donald Ressler? I’ll let you mull over that and call back in an hour,” and with that statement, she hung up.

Liz was seething. How had she almost chosen her mother’s side over Reddington? Her mother had always acted mightier than Reddington but clearly she was no better than him. How dare she take and hurt Ressler just to get what she wanted?   
Cooper’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts and, not knowing what he had said, but not really caring, she said,   
“I know she said she wouldn’t hurt Agnes but I want her taken out of school right now. I have to sort this out but someone needs to bring her here”  
Park offered but Liz immediately shook her head.   
“She doesn’t know you. Aram should go, she’s known him for years. If I’m not the one getting her, Agnes will feel safer with him than with you.”  
Park nodded and Aram said,   
“Yup I’m going. I started a trace on her phone but I’ll get one of the other techs to take over,” and saying that, he ran out of the room.   
Cooper asked her, “what’s the plan to get Ressler back?”  
She stared at him, knowing there was only one way to get her partner safely back.   
“We’re going to give her Reddington.”  
She saw that both Park and Cooper were hesitant and the latter asked, “are you sure that that’s the best way to do this?”  
Oh she was sure alright.  
“I’m not risking Ressler’s life.”

Walking out of Cooper’s office she called Reddington. After her talk with Ressler, she had told Reddington she was on his side, not mentioning anything about being on her mother's for a moment. As she walked into her office Dembe picked up and she barked out, “put him on.”  
“Lizzy how are -”  
She immediately cut him off.  
“My mother has taken Ressler and wants me to deliver you to her without you knowing.”  
He was instantly on alert.  
“When?”  
“It must’ve been sometime this morning. We just ended a call with her and she’s going to call back in an hour about my answer.”  
He started talking about how they could get Ressler back without him but she quickly cut him off and told him the rough plan she had come up with.   
It was because of him that Ressler was taken by her mother and he could damn well help her get him back.  
It took almost half an hour for her to get Reddington to agree with a plan that worked enough for the both of them and hanging up she motioned Park to follow her into Cooper’s office.  
“We have a plan.”  
Cooper nodded at her to continue.  
“My mother might have snipers on the nearby roofs and will be making sure that we won’t be followed. Dembe always drives Red around so he’ll be driving my FBI issued vehicle, I'll be sitting in the passenger seat and Reddington will be, as he normally would, in the middle seat. Using the tinted windows of the back to our advantage, we’ll have four people armed hidden there. Another can be laying on the floor of the middle section.”  
Cooper nodded, agreeing with the plan so far.   
“We have to get out of the car before they come to us so they don’t see inside. When Red, Dembe and I get inside and have all the attention on us, the rest of the team will have a coordinated attack to get Ressler to safety and stop my mother.”  
She stopped, done with the plan and the other two glanced at each other with uncertainty. Cooper spoke up.  
“It’s a thin plan.”  
“Yeah, well it’s the best we can do in the short time we have.”  
Cooper nodded, and added, “we can’t just have Reddington’s men, we need some of ours too.”  
She agreed. “I told Reddington that. There are five people overall, he’s got three men, we’ve got two.”  
Park looked surprised. “And Reddington agreed to this plan that could very easily put him in danger?”  
She gave her a grim smile.  
“Reddington knows that I won’t let anything happen to Ressler and that I’m not really going to budge on a plan that could work.”  
Cooper nodded. “Fine. Park, get the SWAT commander and the two of you will join Reddington’s men in the car.” 

It was only a few minutes later that her mother called back and Cooper told her she was on speaker.   
Her mother’s voice filled the room once again.  
“Good. Everyone can hear what Elizabeth chooses.”  
Without hesitation she said,   
“I’ll give you Reddington.”  
A laugh came over the speaker.  
“Excellent. I’ll text an address to this number. Remember, just you and Reddington, and Dembe I suppose. I’m going to be watching, making sure there’s no one following you. One wrong move and a bullet goes straight through your partner.”  
Liz couldn’t help but shudder and her mother continued talking.   
“You know Elizabeth, I didn’t want it to have come to this but you left me no choice. I’ve been watching you for a while now and I knew taking your partner would get me the results I wanted.”  
Letting that statement sink in she added, “you brought this on yourself Elizabeth,” and hung up.   
Liz was furious. 

She and Park walked out of Cooper’s office and as they climbed down the stairs, Aram and Agnes stepped out of the elevator.   
Lis made an effort to calm herself down for her daughter and pulled her into a hug. Her daughter asked her,   
“why did uncew Awam pick me fwom school early?”  
“Well honey, I have something important to do so uncle Aram is going to look after you for a bit and he thought it’d be fun to get you out of school early.”  
Agnes was happy about the plan and glad that her daughter was okay with it, she looked towards Aram. He was only meant to get her from school but she hoped that he would stay with Agnes till she came back.   
“It’ll make me feel so much better if you stay with her.”  
Aram, one of her closest friends, understood and gave her a gentle smile.   
“Of course,” and grinning at Agnes he added, “we’ll grab some pizza and we’ll work on the art project you were telling me about, what do you say?”  
She gave him a grateful smile and Park gave her a gentle nudge, getting them back on track.   
Liz knelt down to grab Agnes into a hug and drew comfort from knowing that she would be safe with Aram. Feeling a rush of affection and gratefulness for him, after letting Agnes go she pulled Aram into a quick hug and whispered to him, “thank you for everything.”  
He gave her a squeeze and with a reassuring smile told her, “I know you’ll bring Ressler back safely.”  
She gave him a thankful grin and her and Park left.

Reddington, Dembe and three of his men pulled up into the Post Office and joined her, Park and Mark. Brief introductions were made and plans were discussed. Things felt pretty tense so Liz appreciated the moment of levity Park gave and managed a small smile.  
Mark attached a button cam half hidden on her jacket so he could see the layout and make a tactical plan on the spot.  
She climbed into the passenger seat and they all rode in silence until Dembe told them they were near. She gave a short reply and sensing the tension in her voice Reddington said, “we will get him out okay.”   
She didn’t reply. 

Reddington wasn’t meant to know he was being led into a trap so as she, Red and Dembe got out of the car she started calmly spouting off the excuse she had come up with on the ride over.   
“This is the warehouse where we found the hidden shipments. The guy guarding them said they were stolen from your order.”  
Playing along, Red added,   
“Marcus did tell me a shipment was stolen, though I admit it brought me great relief that it wasn’t the top quality wagyu beef that I acquired from Japan.”  
Because she knew it was a trap, she was aware of the pair of light footsteps which she otherwise might’ve missed, which followed them into the warehouse from some distance back.  
They walked past some shelving into an open space and were confronted by her mother, four guards and Ressler in front of them.  
Anger engulfed her and Liz felt like she was going to burst.  
Ressler, duct taped to a chair, had cuts and bruises covering his face, a swollen black eye, and hunched over with laboured breathing, clearly trying to recover from a recent beating.   
She couldn’t even focus on Reddington as he acted outraged at her for bringing him to her mother.   
Ressler slowly looked up and met her eyes. His eyes widened and she knew he was asking her why she had brought Reddington. She shook her head, of course she would do anything to save him. She turned to face her mother and ignoring her praises for bringing her Reddington, demanded she let Ressler go. 

Her mother’s reply was cut off as, in quick succession, two shots fired behind her, closely followed by two more taking out the guards on either side of Ressler.   
The resulting gunfire from both sides forced her to take cover before she could get to Ressler and, as Liz feared, her mother was outraged.   
“How dare you cross me!”  
Heart pounding, Liz watched as her mother stuck her arm out from behind cover, a gun in hand.   
Without hesitation, Liz aimed and fired a shot off through the wrist of the hand which was holding the gun and her mother dropped the gun, yelling out in pain. Reddington’s men ran forward to get the two guards who had been guarding Katarina but she didn’t pay attention to them. 

She ran over to her mother who was holding her wrist and sobbing, both at the pain and at the betrayal. Liz couldn’t bring herself to feel even a tiny bit of sympathy for her mother and knelt down to look her in the eye.  
“If you ever hurt the ones I love again, the next bullet won’t be hitting your wrist.”  
She glared at her, and only when she saw that she truly understood the threat did she run over to Ressler.  
SWAT had just cut off the tape and completely ignoring them, she kneeled in front of her partner and gently cupped his injured face with both hands. He let out a sigh of relief at her touch.   
She whispered, “you said that you would never let me be swept out to sea, that you would never leave me alone.”  
Trying to lighten the mood, and with a small smile in his voice, he whispered back, “the prospect of having to live without me must’ve been terrifying.”  
“It was Ress, it was,” and choking back a sob she added, “please don’t do it again.”  
He slowly replied, “yes ma’am,” and as he leaned his forehead against hers and gripped the hands which were cupping his face, he softly added, “I’ve got you.”  
As she gave a watery smile, she could feel someone walk towards them, pause, then walk away and Liz was glad because she wasn’t ready to let go of him quite yet.   
Her smile quickly faded as she added,   
“It’s my fault this happened to you. I’m so sorry Ress.”  
He lightly shook his head against hers.  
“Liz. This isn’t your fault,” and stopping her as she started to argue back he added, “it isn’t. This is on Red and Katarina. You’re the one who saved me.”  
She couldn’t help but give a small smile at the conviction in his voice and, lightly brushing his bruised cheeks with her thumbs, repeated back what he had said to her before.  
“I’ve got you.”  
Liz shut her eyes and allowed herself one more moment of being in this cocoon of peace with Ressler before pulling away and letting the noise of everything that was happening around them wash away the moment of stillness. 

Two medics came over and Liz helped them put Ressler on the stretcher. She stayed by his side and after they loaded him to the back of the ambulance, she climbed in and sat close next to him.   
They started their way to the hospital and after a pause Ressler, in a soft voice, said to her,   
“If I’m your island of calm, then you’re the sun that shines on me, keeping me warm, happy and protected.”  
How could she not smile at that? He returned the look and she reached out and held his hand, and though he looked weak all battered and bruised, he gripped her hand just as tightly.   
They rode the rest of the way to the hospital like that.


	3. Ressler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I assume you want proof that I do actually have him?”  
> She turned her gaze to him.   
> “Your partner is on the phone.”  
> Making sure that no-one could hear the fear in his voice, he called out.  
> “Liz?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s the same story as the last two chapters but this time it’s from Ressler’s pov. This took me longer to write than I had thought but I think it turned out pretty good. Lemme know what you guys think. Enjoy :)

Red had given them the Kazanjian Brothers to investigate. Through what Liz had kept him updated with during the day, he knew that the brothers were connected to both Red and Katarina. As the day progressed, Ressler could tell his partner had more and more stress piled onto her but he didn’t have a chance to talk to her after they interrogated their suspect together. 

The next day as he talked with Park, Liz walked into the office and he was taken aback by just how world-weary she looked. He raised an eyebrow at her and when she only nodded towards their office in reply, he followed her in.  
She tiredly sat and sensing there was a lot going on, he sat himself on her desk, facing her. Leaning closer he gently asked what was wrong.   
And in a rush, she spilled out everything that had happened yesterday. He was amazed. He knew some of what had happened but hadn’t realised just how much it had impacted her.   
He listened as she explained the hurt, anger and confusion she had felt because of Red and her mother, and how in the end she had chosen her mother’s side but how she was starting to doubt that choice now.  
When she finally finished, Ressler realised just how much she had been holding in since yesterday and how drained, physically and emotionally, she was and after a pause asked, “so you’d say your life is a little stressful right now huh?”  
He smiled as she huffed out a laugh, even if it only lasted for a few seconds, and after a pause said,   
“I know you told me all this because you knew I’d tell you my opinion straight up -” she nodded, “- so let me tell you, I think you made the wrong choice, you should side with Red.”  
She stayed silent, interested in hearing his points. 

“It’s not just that we have the immunity agreement with him. We’ve known him for almost a decade and we both know he has many many faults, he is as far away from a saint as possible, but I think at this point you have to choose between the lesser of two evils. As unpredictable as he is, we’ve built a certain trust with him over the years which, I know you’ve spent some time with your mother, but you just don’t have that with her.”  
She nodded, seeing his point and let him continue.  
“Don’t forget, she shot and killed two of our men, not even in self defense, and while I know he’s a cold-hearted killer, Red has never killed good law enforcement.”  
She made a face as she remembered that and he continued.  
“Red has selfish motives for everything he does but keep in mind, while your mother cares for you, Red, although somewhat begrudgingly, cares for everyone in the task force.”  
Getting out most of his points, he ended with, “just because she’s your mother, doesn’t mean that you have to side with her. We still don’t know who Reddington is to you but I think this task force is proof that you don’t need to be related by blood to be family.”  
She gave him a warm smile which he returned.   
After a bit more discussion Liz agreed to his view and they decided that sometime soon, they should work on a defense for when Katarina would undoubtedly find out. 

Over the next few days Ressler kept an eye on his partner. Liz had seemed much lighter after their conversation but he could sense that, understandably, she was slightly worried about things.   
A tip had come in about a man seeing the Kazanjian Brothers, whose photos were being shown on the local news outlets, and even though he and Liz privately agreed they were probably dead, he went out to question the person who had given them the tip.   
He knocked on the door of the suburban house and when the man answered, Ressler introduced himself.   
As he was invited in, Ressler couldn’t help but feel slightly concerned at his gut telling him something was off. The front door opened and as he turned, another man walked in. Before Ressler could react, the new man gave him so hard a punch that he hit the corner of the kitchen counter and was knocked out before he hit the ground. 

He didn’t know how long it had been before he came to. His mind felt foggy and he had to hold in a groan at the throbbing pain that felt like it was swallowing up his entire head. He slowly tried to wriggle his hands and feet but they were duct-taped so tight to the steel chair that there was no way he could move them.   
He slowly opened his eyes and the first face he saw was the man who had called in the tip, fitted out in full tactical gear.   
The man gave him a smile filled with threat of danger and called out, “the fed is awake!” before sauntering closer to him.   
He crouched and looking Ressler in the eye, taunted, “I thought that taking down a fed would be much harder.”  
Ressler held in the urge to punch him, knowing that he couldn’t right now and the man laughed and leaned closer, guessing what was going through Ressler’s mind.  
“I bet even if you knew I had been there, I’d take you down easy.”  
Ressler headbutted the man who staggered back and while it had caused the man’s nose to bleed, he instantly knew it probably hadn’t been the best idea when he saw the fury on the man’s face.  
He tried to prepare himself for the incoming blow but couldn’t really do anything about it. The man threw a solid punch to his gut, so hard that the chair fell backwards, and as he felt the jolt of hitting the ground across his entire body, Ressler held down the urge to vomit. 

The man yanked the chair back upright and through the fogginess of the pain, a sinking feeling told Ressler he knew exactly who had taken him. His fears were confirmed when he saw Liz’s mother walking towards him, a smirk on her face.  
“Well well well, if it isn’t the partner. Great to finally meet you.”  
He didn’t answer her but just stared back. Though he was tied to the chair and clearly in the weaker position, he wasn’t going to show any of the fear that was starting to creep up on him.   
She just laughed at his stubbornness.  
“You must be wondering why I’ve taken you Agent Ressler.”  
He still refused to speak but a hint of something must’ve flashed in his eyes and her eyebrows rose.   
“Interesting. So I see that Elizabeth is close enough to you to discuss how she betrayed me and joined Reddington.”  
He still had no idea how she had found out so soon, though Ressler supposed it shouldn’t surprise him. She was a legendary spy after all.   
She thoughtfully paused, then some understanding flashed in her eyes and Ressler’s gut told him yet again that things weren’t going to be good.   
She slowly walked up to him and leaned in close. Her whispered question had a threat of danger behind it.  
“Surely it wasn’t you, the boy scout partner, who changed her mind?”

He made every effort to hide any expression, knowing it wouldn’t make any difference explaining that while he had given an argument for it, Liz had come to her own decision.   
Seeing Katarina’s face, Ressler’s heart dropped. This was not going to be good.   
And in a quick move, the guards held the chair steady and Katarina hit him.   
In the stomach, in the face, in the stomach again.   
And with every blow it took everything in him not to cry out in pain.   
She seemed to be almost in a frenzy.   
Ressler was in so much pain that his body almost felt numb. He knew the pain would really kick in later.   
She gave him one more solid punch in the gut, so strong, that the men had to really keep the chair from falling back. The urge to vomit was even greater but he knew if he did throw up onto Katarina, it would only get worse for him.   
He held it in, barely, and couldn’t help the relief he felt as she walked away, calling someone. 

Because she was far away, and because of the pain that was fogging up his mind, Ressler only heard bits and pieces about her demanding someone hand Reddington over.   
She made his way back to him and Ressler’s stomach turned at the sinister smile she had.   
“Your partner on the other hand…”  
His brain seemed slow. Was she talking to Liz?  
Katarina chuckled at whatever was replied and asked, “I assume you want proof that I do actually have him?”  
She turned her gaze to him.   
“Your partner is on the phone.”  
Making sure that no-one could hear the fear in his voice, he called out.  
“Liz?”  
Ressler couldn’t help relax slightly as he heard her beautiful, though worried tone over the speaker.  
““Ress! Thank god you’re ok.”  
Knowing her, Ressler knew that she was already planning on how to get him to safety and in his gut he knew what that plan would be. He didn’t think that anyone other than Liz and Agnes were safe from her mother but now he was starting to doubt even that, so he replied to her.  
“Liz, don’t give Reddington over. You know she’ll kill him and his life is more valuable than mine.”  
There was a pause but before Ressler could reinforce his point, the guard gave him another solid punch. This time Ressler hadn’t been expecting it.   
At the impact he saw stars and the force of it tipped his chair backwards again. The ground seemed to hit him everywhere at once and Ressler couldn’t help the slow moan of pain he let out.   
He could barely concentrate as Katarina walked away still talking on the phone, his body throbbing and aching in pain.   
One of the guards yanked the chair back up. The sharpness of the move seemed to re-ignite all the pain in his body. 

Half an hour later Katarina finished another phone call, one he wasn’t able to hear because she was far away and because of the pounding in his head which seemed to drown out everything around him. She hung up and nodded to her men, and seeming to understand what she wanted, two of them walked outside and the remaining four repositioned themselves next to Katarina and him.   
Ressler supposed Liz had accepted her mother’s deal and they were preparing a grand entrance.   
It was almost half an hour later when Katarina seemed to get a text and she nodded at the men at her sides and the two either side of him.   
Unlike Katarina, Ressler had a much more direct line of sight for the warehouse entry, so he was the first to see Liz, Red and Dembe walk in. His body felt overwhelmingly weak but he raised his head and, glancing at Liz who radiated anger at his state, asked why she had come with his expression.   
She shook her head at him, annoyance seeping into the anger, frustrated that he would think that she wouldn’t come. And while Ressler was worried she put herself in danger for him, he couldn’t help the slight warmth he felt rise in his chest knowing she would go to great lengths to save him. 

Cutting off her mother who, almost tauntingly, started praising her for bringing Reddington, Liz demanded Ressler be released, the fury clear in her voice.   
A sudden sight made Ressler focus hard on keeping a poker face.   
From his almost direct line of sight to the entry, behind the two guards who had followed Liz, Red and Dembe in he saw Mark, Park and three of whom he supposed were Reddington’s men. They were all fully dressed in tactical gear.   
Quietly but quickly they crept into the room and at the loud BANG he instinctively ducked at the shots which fired either side of him.   
A resulting shoot-out ensued and Ressler was glad he wasn’t sitting in between both sides. The way his body throbbed and ached would’ve made it impossible to move quickly. 

Over the chaos of bullets Ressler heard the wildly outraged Katarina scream out.  
“How dare you cross me!”  
He saw her raise her gun and he closed his eyes.   
Ressler knew that death could be part of the job, and he wasn’t scared of dying, but that didn’t mean he had to see it coming.   
He couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of a gunshot but opened his eyes when he realised the sound had come from further away and that the bullet hadn’t come hear him.   
He saw Liz run towards her mother who was on the ground crutching her arm and in that moment, Ressler knew she had shot her own mother to save him.   
He watched as Liz knelt in front of her mother and whispered something to her and Ressler was left wondering what was said as fear seeped into the pain on Katarina’s face.

Mark came up to him and, while cutting off the tape, said, “glad to see you in one piece.”  
Ressler managed a small smile in response but was quickly distracted by Liz running up to him and kneeling. He couldn’t help the sigh of relief he let out as she gently cupped his face and he leaned into the warmth her hands provided.   
In a slow voice she whispered to him, “you said that you would never let me be swept out to sea, that you would never leave me alone.”  
If he had his choice, he would never leave her side. He had been frightened about his situation but could tell she had been even more so and Ressler knew Liz well enough to know that she would blame herself and so, because he knew he was now out of harm's way, he opted for some levity.   
His voice gravelly, he whispered,   
“The prospect of having to live without me must’ve been terrifying.”  
He had said it to try get a smile out of her but, like the last time he had said it, she was completely serious in her reply.   
“It was Ress, it was,” and choking back a sob she added, “please don’t do it again.”  
His heart broke and, wanting to be even closer to her, after replying “yes ma’am,” he rested his forehead against hers and held her hands as they cupped his face.   
Softly, he whispered, “I’ve got you.”  
At that he could finally feel her give a small smile but after a short pause that was gone, deep regret filling her voice.   
“It’s my fault this happened to you. I’m so sorry Ress.”  
He lightly shook his head against hers.  
“Liz. This isn’t your fault,” and stopping her as she started to argue back he added with some pressure in his voice, “it isn’t. This is on Red and Katarina. You’re the one who saved me.”  
And as her thumbs lightly brushed his cheeks, he closed his eyes and let her words wash over him.  
“I’ve got you.”  
They stayed like that for one more beat, soaking each other's presence in, and only when she slightly drew back from him did the noise from their surroundings penetrate their moment of stillness. 

Two medics came over and helped him onto a stretcher to take him to the ambulance. Liz stayed by his side and after they loaded the stretcher, she jumped in and sat close to him.   
The ambulance started, taking them to the hospital but Ressler’s mind was on Liz.   
Recently, she had been emphasising just how much he meant to her, just how important he was in her life, but he didn’t think he had ever told her just how much she meant to him in reply. Surely, by all his actions, she knew just how much he cared, but in this moment, he wanted to make it undoubtedly clear to her.   
Using her analogy, he broke the silence.   
“If I’m your island of calm, then you’re the sun that shines on me, keeping me warm, happy and protected.”  
And just like the sun he had described her as, she gave him a gentle yet radiant smile, just like the soft rays of sunshine warming you up for the rest of the day.   
She reached out and held his hand and he held back just as tightly.  
They only let go when they reached the hospital.


End file.
